Why Did We Worry About Y2K???

The short answer is: Murphy's Law. Whatever can go wrong will go
wrong,
in the worst possible way at the worst possible time.

We got lucky - nothing happened! BUT, it did point up a need for
people
of all walks of life to be prepared for disasters.

Gee, it looked bad! Why the hype?

Some people couldn't get a grip. The end of the world was not
here, Jesus was not coming, nobody was going to ride off on comets,
Armageddon was not looming overhead. It's just that the infrastructure
might have been disrupted for an unknown period
of time (not forever) to some degree.

It did, however, get many people to assess the Murphy factor in their
life. Have you?? Where and in what way are you dependant on the
computerized infrastructure? Do you have a contingency plan? How do you
handle emergencies?

Even now, you should take inventory on what (if any) emergency
supplies you have. This is just plain good sense. Mother Nature can be a
14K b***h, and will always catch people with their figurative pants down.
See some of the news reports in the last year about floods, fires, ice
storms, blizzards, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. if you don't
believe me. Emergency preparedness is not just a one-time
deal.

Even though Y2K is a non-event, you still should make a "disaster
plan", and then do it. Plan for one to three months worth of food
staples in your cupboards and storage. This has the added benefit of, if
you come on "tight" times, you can still eat. It may not be interesting
food, but it helps (I know). This is just plain common sense. Y2K was
NOT the only possible emergency around.

You're Saying "Don't Panic, But Do This Panic Stuff"??

*sigh* I'm saying "Be prepared in your life for whatever
happens."
Yes, this means disaster planning, emergency planning, and personal safety
and "survival" awareness. You don't have to be a militia kook with an
AK47 to be prepared for life's emergencies. A habit of emergency
preparedness will serve you well no matter where you live. If you are
prepared, you can help others.

One job I had was as a safety administrator for a company. We had
regular
"earthquake awareness" and "disaster preparedness" campaigns. Interest in
seriously preparing for anything more than a 24 hour power outage was
non-existant. Dumb. A major disaster is going to shut a lot of things
down for more than 24 hours. Ask anyone who's been hit by one.

The Silver Lining to the "Doomsday" Cloud...

The entire Y2K mess had, IMO, a big silver lining: It promoted an
awareness of how dependant we are on the infrastructure. It also promoted
disaster preparation in people who hadn't previously prepared for
anything but minor emergencies, if at all.

People who are prepared themselves for big problems can often help
others
with smaller problems. I've several times reached into my food stores to
give food to friends who are on the short end of the financial stick. I
regularly make sure that my friends have at least some emergency lighting
(candles, oil lamps). I sometimes even have a spare campstove lying
around.

FACT!!!

The hard, cold fact is: EVERYONE NEEDS TO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES! I
don't really care what the emergency is, or how long it lasts.
Earthquakes, fires, floods, whatever! That's why we have organizations
like FEMA, and the Red Cross. They encourage people to be prepared, and
then they can help out with the things that individuals can't do. The
less "individual" supply bailout that FEMA has to do, the more
money is available to put things right again.

Yes, our infrastructure is great, and usually quite reliable and
stable.
But disaster relief people, and insurance claims adjustors, know just how
nasty it can be when the infrastructure is disrupted or breaks down.

All Right, What Should I Stock??

That is a matter of personal preference. You want to keep it
consistant
with the stuff you eat everyday (no, McDonalds burgers DON'T store
well...) That way, you can eat and replace it as part of your regular
shopping. Think of it as having a higher "buy more" threshold on basic
goods. That way it doesn't mess up your food budget (BTW, some foods in
bulk are cheaper!) Here are some suggestions:

Rice

Beans

Split Peas

Tuna

Ramen

Macaroni

Egg Noodles

Canned Chili

Bottled Water

Salt

Sugar

Oatmeal

Raisins

Vitamins

Canned Juice

Flour

Pancake Mix

Barley

Canned Chicken

Bottled Spaghetti Sauce

Macaroni & Cheese Mix

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Toilet Paper

Garbage Bags

Candles

Canned Veggies

Peanut Butter

Jelly or Jam

Unopened "miracle whip" bottles

Bouillon Cubes

Coffee

More Bottled Water

Chocolate

Tea

Instant Beverages

Crackers

Campstove & Fuel

Rain Gear

Basic Tools

Mylar "Emergency Blankets"

First Aid Kit

Personal Care Supplies

Batteries

Oil Lamps

Camera & Film

Spices (big containers)

Picnic Supplies

Camping Gear

That's the type of stuff I've stocked for years. If it stacks, stores,
and is readily available, we store it. YMMV.

Why do you care?

Because I firmly believe in Murphy's law. And I firmly believe that
the
devastating effects of emergencies and disasters can be blunted by just a
modicum of preparation on everyone's part. From a bout of unemployment to
a massive earthquake, the preparations that I advocate will help a lot in
smoothing the way toward the future.